Israel must take seriously Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Lebanon’s Hizbullah movement, a senior Israeli minister said on Wednesday. “We have to take Nasrallah seriously, he has never lied,” Israel's Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, a member of the security cabinet, told Army Radio.

“He is arrogant, but he does what he says,” he said. “If he says he has 2,000 rockets, I believe him, but I do not know what surprise he is alluding to.”

The former Israeli Defense Minister was referring to a speech by Nasrallah on Tuesday night marking the end of the 34-day war in August last year, in which he warned Israel against launching new attacks on Lebanon.

“If you, the Zionists, are considering attacking Lebanon, I am reserving a surprise for you that will change the fate of the war and the region,” Nasrallah said.

He was addressing a rally of supporters and representatives of allied forces at a soccer stadium in south Beirut. Nasrallah appeared on huge screens erected at the stadium.

Nasrallah said he was personally ready along with Hizbullah's Islamic Resistance to "shoulder responsibility of this promise." "I warn them (Israelis) and advise them. Here in Lebanon they face a resistance, an army and a nation that reject humiliation … A nation that fights and is ready for sacrifices and will achieve the historic victory, God willing," Nasrallah said.

He added that "any new war on Lebanon will have a high price … I am not looking for war, but I am working on preventing a war," he added.